Morrow County Sentinelhttp://morrowcountysentinel.com
Sun, 02 Aug 2015 20:06:41 +0000en-UShourly1http://wordpress.org/?v=4.2.3In scorn of the consequenceshttp://morrowcountysentinel.com/opinion/1943/in-scorn-of-the-consequences
http://morrowcountysentinel.com/opinion/1943/in-scorn-of-the-consequences#commentsSun, 02 Aug 2015 20:06:41 +0000http://morrowcountysentinel.com/?p=1943]]>“If there was one last crust of bread in this town, it would be mine.” That’s a quote from a rather pretentious member of the clergy, stating how God would take care of him should the world come unhinged tomorrow. “Everyone else may starve,” he continued, “but God has promised me that I will always have enough.”

This preacher quickly defended his statement by quoting Psalm 37:25 – “I have never seen the godly abandoned or their children out begging for bread.” This man considered himself godly; righteous; virtuous; favored by God. Thus, no harm would ever befall him or his family. They were guaranteed the divinely-charmed life with no worries about the future, for God had written them a blank check.

The spiritual mathematics of such self-confidence looks like this: “I am godly, so I will always have what I want and will never go without.” The corollary for such a statement is also true: “If you are ungodly, then you will not always have what you need, and you will suffer.”

To hear advocates of this position explain, those who please God always land on top of the heap. Their cupboards are always full, their gas tanks never empty, their table always running over, and their checks never bounce. The reward for righteous living is a full belly.

But what about the godly Christians of yesteryear who did literally starve to death? Women like missionary Lottie Moon who gave her food away to the Chinese she loved and served, only to die of malnutrition herself? There is St. Lucian of Rome, and countless others like him, who was starved to death in a prison cell because he would not renounce Christ. What about the millions of souls facing starvation and persecution in parts of Africa, the Middle East, and beyond, many of whom are faithful Christians?

And going without bread is not the only disaster to fall upon the truly devoted. Christians worldwide suffer daily under the ruthlessness of various regimes. Believers living in radicalized countries are persecuted at all levels of society. Many people of faith daily bear the economic and social consequences of living out their beliefs.

Is there something wrong with the faith of these people who meet trouble? Has suffering come upon them because they are unrighteous? Are they bad Christians? Is this the explanation for their misery? No, I don’t think this position will hold up for long; this idea that righteous living always leads to the good life.

Countless numbers of good and godly people have suffered, have gone without, have been tortured, have been chained in prison, and have died by stoning, firing squad, holocaust, and worse. They suffered, not because they possessed an inferior faith, a faith not big or strong enough to get them out of trouble, but because of their unwavering belief.

The writer of the book of Hebrews concludes that those who suffer this way are “too good for this world and earn a good reputation because of their faith.” So their stomachs didn’t growl because their faith was defective. On the contrary, they suffered because of their virtue. These heroes of faith weren’t standing behind a pulpit, in the midst of chaotic times, bragging about how the last bread truck in town was going to make a special delivery to their home, sent there by God himself. No, they led a life of faith, a life lived “in scorn of the consequences,” to quote the late Clarence Jordan, taking integrity as its own reward.

After leaving the man who had called dibs on the last loaf of Wonder Bread in town, I was left to wonder myself. What happens to this kind of faith when the promised bread truck doesn’t arrive? What is the outcome when the pantry is found to be empty? When the last check bounces; when life produces more suffering than satisfaction?

I imagine a chink in this armor of belief makes for one incredible crisis of faith. And it should, because faith that leads to arrogance isn’t faith at all.

—-

Ronnie McBrayer is a syndicated columnist, blogger, pastor, and author of multiple books. Visit his website at www.ronniemcbrayer.net.

By Ronnie McBrayer

]]>http://morrowcountysentinel.com/opinion/1943/in-scorn-of-the-consequences/feed0But why, PaPaw?http://morrowcountysentinel.com/opinion/1928/but-why-papaw
http://morrowcountysentinel.com/opinion/1928/but-why-papaw#commentsSun, 02 Aug 2015 19:38:43 +0000http://morrowcountysentinel.com/?p=1928]]>Years ago, when I was in Brazil for the second or third time I picked up a beautiful little framed wall hanging of the most exquisite blue butterflies you have ever seen. It was one of those things you buy and say, “I don’t know where in the world I’m gonna put this, but I just gotta have it!” So I got it, and for the last ten years it has held a prominent spot in a box in the attic!

A few weeks back I spotted it and immediately thought, my granddaughter would love this. Las week I proudly presented her with yet another trinket that I’m sure her mommy would just love to hang in her new house! You grandparents are reading me loud and clear here aren’t you? Well Kairi loved it and was taken by its beauty as I was, probably even more so since she is in the, “that’s beautiful” stage with flowers and colors. What I hadn’t planned on was the phone call I received later in the day from this sweet child… it went something like this. “Hello?” “Papaw it’s Kairi.” “Hello Kairi.” “Papaw, didn’t you say that these butterflies were real?” “Why yes dear I did.” “Well papaw, If they are alive why aren’t they moving?” (long pause) “Well,” I began, “the pretty butterflies lived a very long life and when they got very old and died someone put them in the frame so we could enjoy their beauty for many years.” (long pause) “OK Papaw, love I you bye.” Whew that was fun!

Oh I knew that question would come, I just thought I would be watching my daughter or son in law squirm in answering it. What I found out later was that Kairi’s sweet grandmother had dialed the phone while saying “Ask your Papaw!” However this little interaction got me to thinking about the beauty we leave long after we are gone.

With the help of A.W. Tozer let me introduce a little lady who has been dead for about six hundred years. She once lived and loved and prayed and sang in the city of Norwich, England. This little woman hadn’t much light and she hadn’t any way to get much light, but the beautiful thing about her was that, with what little Biblical light she had, she walked with God so wonderfully close that she became as fragrant as a flower. And long before Reformation times she was in spirit an evangelical and though she has now been with her Lord nearly six hundred years she has left behind her a fragrance of Christ.

England was a better place because this little lady lived. She wrote only one book, a very tiny book that you could slip into your side pocket or your purse, but it’s so flavorful, so divine, so heavenly, that it has made a distinct contribution to the great spiritual literature of the world. The lady to whom I refer is the one called the Lady Julian. The essence of her life and her life’s prayer was this: “O God, please give me three wounds; the wound of contrition and the wound of compassion and the wound of longing after God.” Then she added this little postscript, which I think is one of the most beautiful things I have ever read: “This I ask without condition.” She wasn’t dickering with God. She wanted three things and they were all for God’s glory: “I ask this without condition, Father; do what I ask and then send me the bill. Anything that it costs will be all right with me.” Tozer continues, All great Christians have been wounded souls. There was a man who talked about “a restless thirst, a sacred, infinite desire,” and that is what I want for my own heart. Among the plastic saints of our times Jesus has to do all the dying and all we want is to hear another sermon about His dying; Jesus does all the sorrowing and we want to be happy. But, my brethren, if we were what we ought to be, we would seek to know in experience the meaning of the words, “Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.”

The thought that springs to my mind revolves around the fragrance we leave behind for I believe that a Godly life is not only a sweet aroma to God but a lasting influence to others. Let me suggest a few ways this happens. First a sweet fragrance brings goodness and joy to those who walk in its wake. Think of a sweet perfume or even the bloom of a lilac tree. Brings a smile doesn’t it? A beautiful aroma can create an appetite as well. All it takes is the smell of fresh baked bread from the kitchen to bring even the most slumbering of souls to life and prepare one for a meal! Oh Lord, may my life leave not only a winsome aroma which brings a smile but may it create in those who follow me and appetite for the things of God. That’s why Kairi, that’s why.

—-

Throckmorton is the senior pastor at Crossroads Church in Circleville.

I am writing to express my disappointment in the Knox County Fair Board for the apparent lack of sensitivity they demonstrated in allowing their vendors to display Confederate flags/merchandise in excess at this year’s fair. As you know, Southern states such as South Carolina have recently chosen to respectfully, yet appropriately, retire these flags since they represent a once divided nation and time in our country’s history when the enslavement and oppression of African Americans was the norm.

I am sure the Knox Fair Board strives to create an event environment where all people, particularly children and families, feel welcome and accepted. I can’t tell you how disappointed I was to walk with my teenage daughter through the midway’s vendor booths in what appeared to be a sea of Confederate flags and merchandise when we visited on Saturday, August 1, 2015 (please see attached images, all taken of different vendors along the midway). I can’t imagine how people of African American heritage may have felt from such a display. I decided to visit the Fair Board office while at the fair to express my concern. I also inquired about merchandise sale guidelines.

I was told by a person working in the Fair Board office that there was “nothing the Fair Board can do about what vendors sell at the fair”. I explained that it should be possible for the Fair Board to restrict vendors from selling racist or offensive items at the fair. She responded that the Fair Board could not restrict the merchandise their vendors sell and that “Vendors do this to get a rise out of people like you”. I asked if there was anyone I could write to (at the Fair Board) to complain about this policy. She initially told me “no” until I asked about Knox Fair Board address printed on the receipt book I noticed in front of her on the counter. She then very kindly wrote the address down on a piece of paper for me and asked me “Where are you from?”

I realize the Knox County Fair is not the only event this summer allowing vendors to capitalize on the recent decision by companies, such as Walmart, to stop selling Confederate flags/merchandise, due to their potentially offensive nature. I also understand that many fair-goes and individuals on the Knox Fair Board may not find Confederate flags offensive.However, out of respect for those who do find such items offensive, I am hopeful that this message will reach the Knox Fair Board, and that they will consider reviewing their vendor policies, particularly in terms of displays/product placement.

]]>http://morrowcountysentinel.com/news/1918/gas-prices-aug-2/feed0A helping hand for Ohio’s college-bound foster kidshttp://morrowcountysentinel.com/news/1916/a-helping-hand-for-ohios-college-bound-foster-kids
http://morrowcountysentinel.com/news/1916/a-helping-hand-for-ohios-college-bound-foster-kids#commentsSun, 02 Aug 2015 10:01:09 +0000http://morrowcountysentinel.com/?p=1916]]>COLUMBUS – It’s getting close to back-to-school time, and one group of college-bound Ohioans is getting a little extra help making higher education a reality.

The Ohio Reach program is connecting former foster youth to financial aid, housing, mentoring and other supports in their college journey. Kimberly Rhyan is a campus liaison for the program at Columbus State Community College, and as a former foster youth she understands the challenges these students face.

“Most 18- to 21-year-olds who are in college always know there is a place called home,” she said, “and I think for foster youth they’re put into a group and they’re kind of forgotten about and people don’t realize that they need those extra supports.”

An estimated 3,000 former foster youths between 18 and 21 live in Ohio. Ohio Reach program coordinator William Murray said many of them have limited means and opportunities.

“Only 9 percent will receive their bachelor degree by the age of 26,” he said. “That’s a very dismal rate, and so one of the things that we can definitely take from this is to have people who want to get involved to start – not necessarily when they get to college but even beforehand – to prepare them for the tools that they’ll need to succeed.”

At Columbus State, the program helped develop a scholar network, which provides ongoing pre-college workshops. Rhyan said it helps students get a fresh start.

“As soon as they identify as a former foster youth, there might be a stigma attached,” she said, “and so really what we’re hoping to accomplish through the Scholar Network is to create a safe community where they can come together and lean on one another and realize that they’re not here alone.”

Ohio Reach recently awarded $60,000 to four colleges to provide mentoring for foster-care alumni this fall: Central State and Ohio universities and Columbus State and Cuyahoga community colleges. The mentoring programs will support educational retention and graduation.

The legislation, H.B. 50, is online at legislature.ohio.gov.

Attaining a post-secondary education often is a struggle for former foster youths who have to go it alone without the support of a family. The Ohio Reach program is connecting these young adults to financial aid, mentoring and other supports in their college journey.

http://morrowcountysentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/web1_gr-47288-1-1.jpgAttaining a post-secondary education often is a struggle for former foster youths who have to go it alone without the support of a family. The Ohio Reach program is connecting these young adults to financial aid, mentoring and other supports in their college journey.

By Mary Kuhlman

Ohio News Connection

]]>http://morrowcountysentinel.com/news/1916/a-helping-hand-for-ohios-college-bound-foster-kids/feed0Chow Line: As mercury rises, beat the heat with waterhttp://morrowcountysentinel.com/news/1914/chow-line-as-mercury-rises-beat-the-heat-with-water
http://morrowcountysentinel.com/news/1914/chow-line-as-mercury-rises-beat-the-heat-with-water#commentsSun, 02 Aug 2015 10:00:07 +0000http://morrowcountysentinel.com/?p=1914]]>Do we really need to drink more water when the weather is hot?

If you’re outdoors when it’s hot and sticky, and you become hot and sticky yourself, then, yes, that’s a good signal that you should drink more water.

You might not think much about it, but water is the most abundant substance in your body. Each and every organ in your body needs water to do its job. Water serves as a medium where chemical reactions take place — and the body is a veritable 24-hours-a-day laboratory bustling with such reactions. Water also helps control body heat through perspiration and helps lubricate your knees, elbows and other joints. And it does other jobs, as well — too many to list here.

As your body uses all that water, and loses it from perspiration, urination and other functions, the water needs to be replaced.

While you might need to consume a few ounces of protein, carbohydrate and even some healthful fats in your daily diet, you need a lot more water: It’s recommended that men get 3.7 liters of water a day, and women, 2.7 liters. And in certain situations, such as very hot weather, your body needs more than normal.

But before you start lugging around 2-liter bottles filled with H2O, it’s important to know that you do get quite a bit of water from other beverages and even from foods. With foods, fruits and vegetables generally contain the most water — watermelon is about 91 percent water by weight; raw broccoli, 89 percent. But even other foods such as beans, chicken, pasta and bread contain ample amounts of water that your body can put to use.

That said, don’t discount the need for a glass — or actually about eight — of good old-fashioned water each day. That’s about the amount of fluids you should drink to accompany the water you’re getting from food. According to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics’ Complete Food and Nutrition Guide, the body’s need for water varies from day to day, with more needed when you experience:

* Higher levels of physical activity. During exercise, the academy advises “drink early and often.”

* Exposure to extreme temperatures, either hot or cold. You need water to maintain a normal body temperature.

* Exposure to dry air, such as heated or recirculated air.

* High altitudes. At about 8,200 feet, your heart rate as well as urine output could increase, both of which require you to drink more water.

* Pregnancy, which increases the recommendation for fluid intake for women to 3.8 liters a day.

* Illness that includes fever, diarrhea or vomiting. Plenty of fluids are needed to prevent dehydration.

* Eating a high-fiber diet. The body needs more water to process the fiber through the intestines.

* Nutritionists generally recommend water as the top choice as a beverage. Not only is it calorie-free, it’s cheap from the tap and provides everything your body needs to replenish fluids. So, tip back your glass and enjoy, knowing you’re doing your body good.

—-

Chow Line is a service of the College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences and its outreach and research arms, Ohio State University Extension and the Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center. Send questions to Chow Line, c/o Martha Filipic, 2021 Coffey Road, Columbus, OH 43210-1043, or filipic.3@osu.edu.

Do we really need to drink more water when the weather is hot?

http://morrowcountysentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/web1_chow_072415_494040875.jpgDo we really need to drink more water when the weather is hot?

Staff report

]]>http://morrowcountysentinel.com/news/1914/chow-line-as-mercury-rises-beat-the-heat-with-water/feed0Agriculture briefs – Aug. 1http://morrowcountysentinel.com/news/1912/agriculture-briefs-aug-1
http://morrowcountysentinel.com/news/1912/agriculture-briefs-aug-1#commentsSat, 01 Aug 2015 11:36:43 +0000http://morrowcountysentinel.com/?p=1912]]>ONLINE TICKETS NOW AVAILABLE FOR THE 2015 FARM SCIENCE REVIEW – Tickets for the 2015 Farm Science Review are now available for purchase online at http://fsr.osu.edu/onlineticketform/, allowing attendees to bypass gate sales by purchasing tickets in advance of the annual three-day farm show to be held Sept. 22-24 at the Molly Caren Agricultural Center in London, Ohio.

This is the third year for online ticket sales, and the option is becoming more and more popular among attendees, said Matt Sullivan, assistant manager of the Farm Science Review, which is sponsored by the College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences at The Ohio State University.

“Our online ticket sales have increased each year since it’s been an option,” he said. “It allows attendees that are visiting from out-of-state to purchase tickets at a $3 discounted price compared to purchasing tickets at the gate.”

Another advantage to purchasing tickets online is that there is no limit to the number of tickets that can be purchased, so large groups attending from out-of-state can pre-order tickets all at once, said Sullivan.

Online tickets are available to purchase for $7 until Sept. 11. Tickets ordered online will be mailed to the buyer.

Advance tickets for the Farm Science Review are also available at all Ohio State University Extension county offices and many local agribusinesses for $7. Tickets are $10 at the gate. Children 5 and under are admitted free. Show hours are 8 a.m to 5 p.m. Sept. 22-23 and 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sept. 24.

More information about the Farm Science Review is at fsr.osu.edu/visitors.

OH, DEER! WORKSHOP SET ON MANAGING BACKYARD WILDLIFE CONFLICTS – Seen coyotes near your home? Do deer eat your shrubs down to nubs? Get tips on what to do in a workshop led by wildlife experts Stan Gehrt and Marne Titchenell of The Ohio State University.

The Good, the Bad and the Hungry: Managing Wildlife Conflicts in Your Landscape is 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Aug. 7 at the Wood County Park District’s W.W. Knight Nature Preserve, 29530 White Road in Perrysburg, near Toledo. Registration is $35, includes lunch and is needed by noon Aug. 3.

Get details and a link to online registration and payment at go.osu.edu/08-07WildlifeWorkshop.

OSU EXTENSION: “SUPERFRUITS” COULD OFFER OHIO GROWERS ALTERNATIVE INCOME SOURCE; WORKSHIP SET FOR AUG. 20 – The potential market for so-called “superfruits” in Ohio could offer growers an additional income stream thanks to increasingly health-conscious consumers and ongoing research that finds these plants can grow well in the Buckeye state.

That’s according to a fruit crop expert with the College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences at The Ohio State University, who said that based on research trials of elderberry, aronia berry and Chinese goji berry plants at Ohio State’s South Centers in Piketon, the berries are a viable option for Ohio growers.

Fruits such as these, which are also known as super berries because of their nutrition quotient including a rich antioxidant content, are growing well in the research trials, said Gary Gao, an Ohio State University Extension specialist and associate professor of small fruit crops. OSU Extension is the college’s outreach arm.

The Superberry Project is funded by a specialty crop block grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture through the Ohio Department of Agriculture.

Gao and his team planted six varieties of elderberries, three varieties of Chinese goji berries and one variety of aronia berries for the trial at the South Centers. Some plants were installed last year and some more mature plants were added this year.

To help berry growers — new and experienced alike — learn how to produce elderberry, aronia, goji and other berries, horticulture and viticulture experts from the college are offering a Super Berry School Aug. 20. The program is 6-9 p.m. at the OSU South Centers’ Endeavor Center, 1862 Shyville Road, in Piketon.

Registration for the workshop is $25 and includes the program, handouts, a light dinner and refreshments. Contact Charissa McGlothin at 740-289-2071, ext. 132, to register or for more information. The deadline to register is Aug. 17.

Tickets for the 2015 Farm Science Review are now available for purchase online at http://fsr.osu.edu/onlineticketform/, allowing attendees to bypass gate sales by purchasing tickets in advance of the annual three-day farm show to be held Sept. 22-24 at the Molly Caren Agricultural Center in London, Ohio.

http://morrowcountysentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/web1_Farm-Science-Review-Field-Demo-2012_1.jpgTickets for the 2015 Farm Science Review are now available for purchase online at http://fsr.osu.edu/onlineticketform/, allowing attendees to bypass gate sales by purchasing tickets in advance of the annual three-day farm show to be held Sept. 22-24 at the Molly Caren Agricultural Center in London, Ohio.

]]>http://morrowcountysentinel.com/news/1910/gas-prices-aug-1/feed0Cleaning up state constitutionshttp://morrowcountysentinel.com/opinion/1901/cleaning-up-state-constitutions
http://morrowcountysentinel.com/opinion/1901/cleaning-up-state-constitutions#commentsSat, 01 Aug 2015 10:54:42 +0000http://morrowcountysentinel.com/?p=1901]]>“It’s difficult for me to get excited about rewriting the [Michigan] Constitution solely for the sake of appearances.”

— Devin Schindler

Western Michigan University law school

“Taking racist language out of the [Alabama] Constitution is sooner or later going to happen.”

— Wayne Flint

Auburn University law school

With the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision last month in Obergefell v. Hodges, the Ohio Constitution, and the constitutions of many other states, are left with language that bars the solemnization and recognition of same-sex marriages, but that is unconstitutional and unenforceable. Most states that have this language had it inserted into their state constitutions by popular vote. What now becomes of this language and what does it now mean?

There is no suggestion that this language is still valid nor is there any argument that states could enforce it without drawing costly federal lawsuits that those states would absolutely lose. The problem is that leaving the language in place can be confusing and lead to future errors, but removing it is a complicated and potentially expensive process.

Earlier this week, the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia released a report on outdated state constitutional language that highlighted these issues. It noted that the rise in voter-approved constitutional amendments to cover issues that had previously been handled by legislative action was adding to the problem. (Consider, for example, the issues of casino gambling and marijuana legalization in Ohio that are or were legislative prohibitions but that have been attacked at the ballot box by constitutional amendment rather than by initiative or legislative action.)

One such example is flag burning. Two separate decisions of the U.S. Supreme Court have found that the burning of any flag, including the U.S. flag, is constitutionally protected free speech. Yet, 47 states have laws that prohibit flag burning. Ohio Revised Code section 2927.11 is one such law and makes it a misdemeanor of the second degree to purposefully deface, damage or physically mistreat the U.S. flag. Only Wisconsin, Wyoming and Alaska do not have active laws against flag burning and Alaska appears to be the only state that has never had one.

Statutes are easy to fix when compared to state constitutional provisions, however. The method of amending a state constitution varies from state to state but very often requires a majority or supermajority vote of the state’s citizens. The Obergefell decision certainly isn’t the only example of outdated and ineffective provisions. Michigan still has a requirement that all voters be at least 21 years old (in direct conflict with the 26th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution). Maryland still has a provision that requires a religious test for candidates for public office, despite the Supreme Court striking that provision down in 1961 and seven other states have a similar provision.

Several states currently have or are looking at committees to recommend a constitutional “clean-up.” Ohio and Michigan are among them. In Michigan, it’s the Citizens Research Council and here in Ohio, it’s the Constitutional Modernization Commission, funded by the Ohio General Assembly, made up of lawyers, judges, state officials and others and chaired by former Supreme Court Administrator Steve Hollon. The commission was originally slated to operate into 2021, but the most recent Ohio budget terminates their funding at the end of this biennium on June 30, 2017.

We can take some solace in Ohio, though. The National Constitution Center points out that our state constitution has relatively minor problems compared to that of Alabama, which has the wordiest constitution of any government in the world. Alabama’s state constitution has more than 800 amendments — so many that even simple legislative actions like local mosquito-spraying ordinances now have to be approved by constitutional amendment in the state. Worse yet, there is significant language about segregated schools and numerous other racist provisions. But a 2012 effort to remove that language revealed that the entire document is so convoluted that simple changes weren’t simple at all.

Ohioans can call for a state constitutional convention every 20 years but have not done so since 1912. The Constitutional Modernization Commission and a similar commission in the late 1960s have been formed in their place. Any recommendations coming out of that commission will need approval by the voters of Ohio.

David Hejmanowski is the judge of the Probate/Juvenile Division of Delaware County Common Pleas Court.

]]>http://morrowcountysentinel.com/opinion/1901/cleaning-up-state-constitutions/feed0Thomas Lucente: Let PBS stations go darkhttp://morrowcountysentinel.com/opinion/1899/thomas-lucente-let-pbs-stations-go-dark
http://morrowcountysentinel.com/opinion/1899/thomas-lucente-let-pbs-stations-go-dark#commentsSat, 01 Aug 2015 10:54:25 +0000http://morrowcountysentinel.com/?p=1899]]>Some 90 years ago, in wholly un-American fashion, the U.S. government nationalized an important resource: The radio spectrum.

“If this resource had been oil, coal, lumber, or steel, the American people would have been outraged and would not have stood for it,” wrote Adam D. Thierer some 15 years ago. “Yet this resource — the electromagnetic wireless spectrum — was simply unknown to most Americans, so few knew or cared.”

As is common to regulated resources, the government has used its control over the spectrum to flex its muscles to silent unpopular opinions and to act as a barrier to entry, lowering competition, raising prices, and blocking innovations that might threaten industry leaders. The regulatory power has been used to suppress FM for decades. Cable TV was blocked for many years as was satellite TV, satellite radio and FM micro broadcasters.

Also, because of the oversight of the FCC, the largest censorship body in the world, free expression over the government-owned spectrum is illusory, a sham.

This nearly century old experiment in public ownership of a valuable resource has been an utter failure. Privatization of the spectrum is essential. Property rights, private contracts, and the common law, rather than government bureaucrats, should govern disputes over the electromagnetic spectrum.

Unfortunately, when government seizes a resource, it rarely gives it up.

Still, the FCC has spent the last three years moving toward an incentive auction, set for next year. It’s pretty hilarious because the FCC has cloaked this in some sort of “free market” solution to satisfy the growing spectrum needs of wireless providers. Of course, the market would never take four years to implement the sale of a valuable resource.

Television stations have four choices: relinquish all spectrum and stop broadcasting, channel-share with another station, switch from UHF to a lesser-quality VHF signal, or not participate. They have until the fall to decide.

The sale is a good first step. And it has the added benefit of attracting that other pocket of broadcast socialism, public television.

Public television, aka state-run media, is an anachronism in 21st century America and, essentially, a subsidy for the entertainment of the rich, which makes it odd that leftists are in such a tizzy to save Public Broadcasting Stations that are considering taking the big check and cutting their losses. For example, WBGU in Bowling Green could net as much as $40 million and WGTE is looking at a possible $55 million pay day.

Certainly public television programming has value. I would write a check for the programming today if the government would end its funding of public broadcasting and let these great shows compete for viewers in the marketplace.

There really is no need in today’s multimedia world for the government to subsidize broadcasting. If a broadcast program is good enough, it does not need government funding.

What I find ironic is that funding of public broadcasting is a cause carried mostly by leftists. Yet, those same leftists often complain loudly about tax cuts for the rich. What do they think government funding of public broadcasting is?

It is a tax cut for the rich.

PBS is largely the domain of affluent baby boomers. Similarly, National Public Radio told advertisers several years ago that its listeners were 66 percent wealthier than the average American and 150 percent more likely to be professionals or managers.

These people can afford to pay for such programming if they want it. Let’s face it, tax-funded broadcasting, as well as other tax-funded cultural activities such as art and music, is a transfer of wealth to the rich from the middle class, which is taxed to pay for the news and entertainment of the upper middle class.

Now we see why the wealthy are so opposed to public broadcasting stations going dark. They lose their free entertainment bought on the backs of the middle class.

Clearly, public broadcasting is anachronistic in today’s wired world where Americans suffer from media overload.

It would be in the best interest of the nation if public broadcasting stations would relinquish their spectrum to wireless providers who will provide the best and highest use of that valuable resource.